In pay television distribution systems, such as direct satellite broadcast systems, television receivers (also known as set-top boxes) often need to exchange data with a central data collection system. For example, a central data collection system often collects pay-per-view ordering information, health and diagnostics information and the like. Typically, a television receiver includes a modem that may communicate with a call processing system through an analog phone line in a home. The television receiver dials the call processing system periodically and exchanges data over the analog phone line. However, an increasing number of users no longer have wired phone lines at home, and thus it is a problem that television receivers are unable to communicate with the call processing system. Thus, the television provider is unable to collect information regarding the television receiver.
Additionally, the collection of data through telephone calls from television receivers serves to identify piracy and fraud in the television distribution system. Account packing is one type of piracy/fraud that may be identified by a call processing system. Account packing involves a subscriber leasing multiple legitimate television receivers for use in a single location and instead using the receivers in disparate locations. For example, a satellite television subscriber may utilize one television receiver at their home, and may allow a friend to use another television receiver at the friend's home. In effect, the subscriber and the friend get two accounts while only paying for a single account. By collecting data through telephone calls from the television receivers, the satellite television provider may identify television receivers which are utilized in unauthorized locations. However, the decline of home telephone lines has made the identification of account packing and other types of fraud more difficult for television providers.